And you thought Michael Vick was cruel to animals?

Thoroughbred horse racing is known as ‘The Sport of Kings’. It is has persisted through the centuries from the chariot races in ancient Rome to the Triple Crown of today, the sport has entertained across time equally.

The equestrian sport not only strives because of its entertainment value, but also because of the lure of winning money.

Unlike most sports in America, at least in my opinion, the main reason this sport remains relevant is due to its history of on-site, sanctioned betting.

Could you imagine showing up to your favorite football or baseball team’s stadium and placing a bet at the counter while you’re getting a cold beer. Sounds unreal, huh. Not at a horse race. Not only is betting allowed, but it is promoted.

Okay, maybe the betting thing isn’t so bad, right. Most guys bet on a game or two each year, so what’s the harm?

The problem doesn’t lie with the bets, but rather with the inhumane treatment of the horses. A entire industry has been built upon the relentless breeding, training, and racing of magnificent animals that are only valuable when they are completely healthy.

I emphasize the word ‘healthy.’ Do you know what happens when a horse is injured during a race? Because of the speed of which the horses run and the toughness of their training, when injured, these animals bone shatter and spread throughout the body making it almost impossible for veterinarians to repair them.

Simply put, they are killed, or as it is called in the world of horse racing, ‘humanely destroyed’. Sometimes this even occurs on the race track.

Because horse racing is legal, the states in which races are held receive a cut of the proceeds, so we all know when money is involved anything is tolerable, even killing helpless animals for profit.

Don’t you just love America, the land of the free and the home of the hypocrites.